Tom Pickard interview

Interview by: Al Hodgson
Yes Tom. So, Debris, or as our group chat lovingly refers to it, Derbis. Is it fair to say this project is loosely a spot-focused concept video? There’s a strong focus on the decaying British architecture strewn across the South East of the country. Can you elaborate a bit on the project, and why you wanted to highlight that as a theme?
Yeah for sure, it is about the spots, first and foremost. It’s tapping into the adventurous side of skateboarding, searching out spots, cleaning them up, working them out and ultimately walking away with something. I have always loved crusty spots. Back when I lived in London, I would always travel far and look around the outskirts for untouched gems. But after moving down south, these kinds of spots are everywhere, you just have to research and always look around another corner. These kinds of spots that are in random locations, off the beaten track, are just more interesting and tell more of a story.
Personally, I feel like this is the deepest I’ve ever gone researching spots for a project; from finding some by lurking online telecommunications or UrbEx forums to finding others by glimpsing a car crashed on the side of the motorway. What are some of your favourite spot finds from the project and some of the stories behind them?
There have definitely been a few! But for me that A23 bank spot was the best find as it just kept on giving us options. As you mentioned, we were driving back from Bristol very late when you spotted a car wreck. You went there the next day to find the wreck cleared up and a handrail had been removed from the side of some steps, leaving a smoothish bank skateable! We had to clean it up and sort out the bank a bit but it was pretty damn perfect. Then on another visit, you wandered across to the other side of the main road and found another bank about three times bigger, but it was completely covered in brambles, mud and debris. We cleared the whole bank and again, the bank was perfect. Good run-up, good runout and with a canopy of trees over the whole area! There was even a further evolution to the spot after that. After a few times of returning to the spot, they eventually reinstalled a new handrail back onto the small bank again, which we were quite surprised about, but in true Chris (Collins) fashion, he just skated the handrail, so we could still use the spot to our advantage.
Ha yeah that spot was the gift that kept on giving. So, this is truly an independent project by all metrics. You’ve done everything all off your own bat and none of the skaters in the video are sponsored. We pretty much all work full-time, fitting the project in between our jobs (and in Mike’s case family), yet you’ve somehow managed to wrangle together this full-length in just over a year. How have you managed that?
Just persistence really. We have a really good crew involved in the video, so I would always have a backup option if someone can’t come out. I have always liked to make the most of time, so if the floor is dry, then I will get out, and with your spectacular help with spots, we always had somewhere on the list to hit.
Happy to be of service! If it’s fair to say, the crew you’ve managed to pull together is actually quite a random one. Some of us hadn’t even met before this project, we’re from all over the South East, and other than Sam and Sonny, we’re all over 30. Can you tell us a little bit about how you’ve assembled this assortment of Sussex/Kent locals, and was it also intentional that you also picked a crew of skaters who’ve mostly had little coverage before?
Yeah, I mean I don’t really have much choice of who I film, but I always seem to gravitate towards people who are kind of under the radar and who I feel should be pushed to their potential and seen by others. None of it was overly planned. The more we got into the project, I started to like the idea of different people from different parts of the South East showcasing their own areas and spots. I always like different ages skating together and being in the same video. It gets me sparked when I see a 19-year-old and a 35-year-old feeding off the same energy. I wanted to start the video with the younger guys and then move into the older heads, which kind of works with the video’s old reli- like spots.

On that note, Chris (Collins) is a bit of a secret weapon. He’s really flown under the radar, even locally, but he’s one of the gnarliest skateboarders I’ve ever skated with. Likewise, Sam (Allison) is a real clandestine cannonball. But this project sees both of their first full parts. Did you pick them to be part of the project for that reason or did that just happen by chance?
The first time I met Sam I knew he could handle the street and I just imagined how gnarly a full part from him could be, but he was just skating the Level Skatepark in Brighton all of the time. So every time Jordan (Marowitch) was down, Sam would come along on the mission, normally some pretty crusty spot and would always get some really good clips. He just barges spots, pure beast. Perfect energy for an opening part in my opinion.
Chris was similar in that regard, he was just so good and started stacking clips so quickly and that was him not trying that much, so I knew he could go much further with his spot and clip choices. I couldn’t believe he had never filmed a part before, so there was no choice in this matter, he was proper ender part material.
On another similar note, Matt Ransom’s previous part was in 2017 and Mike Nicholls’ all the way back in 2009. Were you secretly trying to get some O.G comeback parts on the go?
I love the comeback parts. When someone just comes out with a part from nowhere, like Quim or Jahmal in the Static IV/V, it’s such an exciting moment because you just assume that they don’t skate anymore or have moved on to other things. So, seeing new footage from them is just gold.
Matt has always been one of my favourite local skaters but has been in and out of skating throughout the years, and only pops up in videos here and there. When I reconnected with him a couple of years back, I asked him if he wanted to be part of the video because I knew he loved scouting for spots and repairing shit, so it would motivate him more, and luckily, he was into the idea.
Mike was a bit different as I didn’t know him before. Maybe I had seen his footage moons ago, but after being introduced to him by you in Hastings, we started skating together and had very similar interests as he works at BFI (British Film Institute) in London, so we really kicked it off. He has a family with two children, so I was not sure how realistic it was to film a part with him, but I wanted to at least try. So, I asked him, and he was super stoked on the idea. Obviously, we kept it more local to Hastings because he doesn’t have much time, but his approach to skating is so interesting and unique that I knew the video needed this fresh perspective.
You’ve been doing independent projects for years and years. Why do you feel these are so important, both to local scenes and more widely?
I think I mainly make them for my sanity! I have made skate videos most of my life and I find them such a rewarding process for all involved. I feel that they are more important now than ever because they bring people together to work on something. We all know that social media is separating people and not allowing anyone to live in the moment, but video projects are such strong examples of skaters having shared experiences, losing themselves at spots and living for the moment of the mission. This has all been said before, but all of the adventures and memories being finally edited down into a short video is a perfect medium to showcase what we do as skateboarders, and documents a moment in time.
Indy projects are also a big undertaking, especially full-lengths. You’ve hinted to me this might be your last project. Is that true?
Yeah, more than likely. It just takes so much time and the editing process/release normally just does me in. I’m too old for this shit.
Well, you’re certainly not one to big yourself up, but you’ve done an amazing job getting this together, and we’re all super grateful. Thanks for all your hard work. Not to speak for everyone in the video, but I think this could also be the last full part from quite a few of us as well. Now that it’s done I don’t know how I’m going to occupy my spare time… Either way, it’s been truly special. Do you have any shoutouts or thanks you want to give?
Well, a very big thank you to you for all of your work on the project. You really elevated the concept and truly found some of the best spots for this video. Your passion and dedication wore off on everyone else, which I will always be grateful for.
Big thanks to Lizzie (Heath) for doing the titles, love that she was involved, Henry (Kingsford) for supporting the project, all of the photographers that came out and shot with us, it was a blast, and my girlfriend Elina for accepting my love of skateboarding.
Legend Tom. Thank you mate.
— Al